Emcee:  Susan Taylor
Judges: Rafe Stefanini and Beverly Smith

What: The Ninth Speedy Tolliver Fiddle Contest

When:

Sunday, September 28, 2003; 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Rain date, Sunday, October 5, 2003; 1:00 TO 5:00 p.m. (judges and emcee may
change)

Where:

Lubber Run Amphitheater is located inside the beltway off of Rt. 50 at the
intersection
of North Columbus and North 2nd Streets, Arlington, VA (directions at end of
message).

Who:

Sponsored by local fiddlers and their friends, in cooperation with the
Arlington County
Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources, Cultural Affairs
Division.

Admission:   Free to contestants and audience.

Registration:

Registration begins at 12:30 and closes at 2:30 PM, unless otherwise agreed
upon by
the judges.

Prizes for Old Time Fiddlers, Traditional Fiddlers, Junior Fiddlers, and
special awards as the judges
may deem necessary.

Accompaniment is encouraged. Jamming at Lubber Run creek. Put your feet in
the cool water.

Open to ALL ages and ALL skill levels.  Extreme beginners get one tune.
Others get six minutes or
three tunes. No rules on tunes other than keep all tunes in Old Time if you
are going for the Old
Time first place.

Volunteers needed for the day of the contest and to bake some goodies for
our fiddlers. We do not give
away money, but instead, give away pies, cakes and cookies. If you can bake
any of those items, our
fiddlers would sure appreciate it.

Judging:

The judging will be subjective - what sounds best to the judges wins.  Our
judges are accomplished
musicians.  Each fiddling genre will be judged against its own genre or
style.  Old time fiddlers will
be judged against other old time fiddlers the judges have heard.  Scottish
fiddlers will be judged
against other Scottish fiddlers the judges have heard. The decisions of the
judges are final, and
judging forms are not released to the public or contestants.

The Contest:

The Speedy Tolliver Fiddle Contest is a friendly contest featuring local
fiddlers and the musicians
who accompany them.  It features all styles of fiddle music from Scottish to
Old Time.  Although
contests are competitive by nature, we emphasizes the "fun-side of
competition" and make all
fiddlers - regardless of their skill level - feel welcome.  Every musician
deserves to experience the
thrill of being on stage and performing for a live audience.

All participants will receive ribbons and recognition for their efforts.
Contestants will receive
donated, baked goods (as long as supplies last) - First pies, second pies
and third pies arrangement.

Because much of this style of music is handed down from generation to
generation by individual
contact, encouraging new people to listen to traditional fiddling may entice
them to learn to play it
themselves.  This is the only way our music survives through the
generations.

Who we are:

We are a group of fiddlers who believe traditional fiddling - old-time,
bluegrass, Western, Irish,
Cajun, Scottish - is not readily available to the general public.  Most of
what the public hears are
slick, polished acts designed to make money.  Traditional fiddling is
performed for the enjoyment
of dancers, the audience - if there is one, and the excitement of musicians
playing with fellow
musicians.  Without the inclusion of new people, fiddling will perish.  We
hope this contest will
introduce fiddling to the general public and bring musicians together to
share new tunes.  We offer
a low-pressure, friendly atmosphere where all fiddlers, regardless of skill
level, are welcome, and
the spirit of the music is paramount.  Everyone is treated with respect and
receives recognition for
their performance.  Perhaps someone in the audience will fall in love with
the music, and learn to
play.  I know I did.

Fiddling is fun music.  It is cheerful, powerful, and made for dancing.  We
believe the audience will
enjoy the music Americans, and the immigrants from whom they came, have been
playing for their
own entertainment for hundreds of years.  It is an experience from a slower,
simpler time.
Although many professional fiddlers traveled the country, families usually
played this music
together for entertainment - there was no television, no movie house, no
MTV.  Because everyday
families used this music as a form of entertainment and social interaction,
it was kept simple.
Although simple, so people with basic musical skills could play, it is
refined enough to hold the
interest of highly skilled musicians.  Won't you please join us for an
afternoon of music and fun.

Contest Information: Jay at (703)799-9539 or jgime...@yahoo.com
(directions at the end of this announcement)

This event is presented with the assistance of Arlington's Office of
Multi-cultural Programs, part of
the Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community
Resources, which will
make reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities upon
request (2 weeks prior to
the start of the program).  This may include, but is not limited to, large
print and Braille brochures,
sign language interpreters, and adapted equipment.  Questions on access and
inclusion can be
directed to Arlington's Therapeutic Recreation Office at 703-228-4740
(voice) or 707-228-4641
(TTY).  The Lubber Run Amphitheater is accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Directions to Lubber Run Amphitheater in Arlington County, Virginia:

From 495 in Virginia:

1.   Take Rt. 50 East (Arlington Boulevard).
2.   Go through Seven Corners and continue on Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50
East).
3.   Turn Left on to North Columbus Street, and Lubber Run amphitheater
entrance will be on the
left with parking at the amphitheater and in the neighborhood.

From 395 in Virginia:

1.  Take Glebe Road exit from 395.  Go North (or West) on South Glebe Road.
2.  Go past Columbia Pike.
3.  Take the Exit Ramp off of Glebe Road to Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50) to
head West onto
Arlington Boulevard.
4.  Turn Right on North Columbus Street and Lubber Run amphitheater entrance
will be on the left
with parking at the amphitheater and in the neighborhood.

From Rt. 66 coming from the Capitol Beltway (495):

1.  Take Rt. 66 East from 495 in Virginia.
2.  Take Exit 71 to Fairfax Drive (may also say Glebe Road).
3.  Fairfax Drive crosses Glebe Road.  Turn Right on Glebe Road.
4.  Take the Exit Ramp off of Glebe Road to Arlington Boulevard (Rt. 50) to
head West onto Arlington
Boulevard.
5.  Turn Right on North Columbus Street and the Lubber Run amphitheater
entrance will be on the
left with parking at the amphitheater and in the neighborhood.

From Rt. 66 leaving Washington D.C.